Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (799 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The transparent, semigelatinous substance that fills the cavity behind the crystalline lens of the EYE and in front of the retina. It is contained in a thin hyaloid membrane and forms about four fifths of the optic globe.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Bodies, Vitreous; Body, Vitreous; Vitreous Bodies; Vitreous Humor; Humors, Vitreous; Humor, Vitreous; Vitreous Humors.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Posterior Eye Segment
- See also
- Vitrectomy
Related concepts
- Crystalline Lens
- Retina
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 20,861 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Vitreous Body” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 1,734 of them (8.3%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 10,222 records.
Reviews account for 1,081 records (5.2%) and meta-analyses for 36. Randomized controlled trials number 404 (1.9%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 10,222 |
| 2000-2009 | 4,902 |
| 2010-2019 | 4,003 |
| 2020 onward | 1,734 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 1,081 | 5.2% |
| Meta-analyses | 36 | 0.2% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 404 | 1.9% |
Method: PubMed query "Vitreous Body"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multivesicular liposomes for sustained release of bevacizumab in treating laser-induced choroidal neovascularization | 2018 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 76 | cc by PMID 29869520 · DOI · PMC6058521 |
| Anti-inflammatory cytokine and angiogenic factors levels in vitreous samples of diabetic retinopathy patients | 2018 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 70 | cc by PMID 29584759 · DOI · PMC5870958 |
| Structural basis for transthyretin amyloid formation in vitreous body of the eye | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 57 | cc by PMID 34880242 · DOI · PMC8654999 |
| Hydrogel-Based Vitreous Substitutes | 2025 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 8 | cc by PMID 40943326 · DOI · PMC12428293 |
Multivesicular liposomes for sustained release of bevacizumab in treating laser-induced choroidal neovascularization [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Bevacizumab is an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drug that can be used to treat choroidal neovascularization (CNV).
- Closing excerpt
- This novel Bev-MVLs may therefore serve as a promising sustained release drug delivery system for the treatment of CNV.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (222 words)
Bevacizumab is an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drug that can be used to treat choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Bevacizumab-loaded multivesicular liposomes (Bev-MVLs) have been designed and developed to increase the intravitreal retention time of bevacizumab and reduce the number of injection times. In this study, Bev-MVLs with high encapsulation efficiency were prepared by double emulsification technique, and antibody activity was determined. The results revealed that 10% of human serum albumin (HSA) could preserve the activity of bevacizumab. In vitro release of Bev-MVLs appeared to be in a more sustained manner, the underlying mechanisms of Bev-MVLs indicated that bevacizumab was released from MVLs through diffusion and erosion. Results of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) demonstrated that bevacizumab could retain its structural integrity after being released from MVLs in vitro. In vivo imaging was used to evaluate the retention time of antibody in rat eyes, while pharmacokinetic analysis was performed on rabbit eyes. These results indicated that Bev-MVLs exhibited sustained release effects as compared to bevacizumab solution (Bev-S). Bev-MVLs could effectively inhibit the thickness of CNV lesion as compared to Bev-S at 28 days after treatment. Furthermore, these data suggest that Bev-MVLs are biologically feasible to increase the retention time of bevacizumab in vitreous humor. This novel Bev-MVLs may therefore serve as a promising sustained release drug delivery system for the treatment of CNV.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 29869520 · DOI · PMC6058521
Anti-inflammatory cytokine and angiogenic factors levels in vitreous samples of diabetic retinopathy patients [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Evaluation of cytokines in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) is important for the identification of future additive or alternative treatment options.
- Closing excerpt
- Therefore, to support these anti-inflammatory mechanisms might be additive treatment option in the future.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (231 words)
Evaluation of cytokines in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) is important for the identification of future additive or alternative treatment options. Therefore, vitreous samples were obtained from patients with DR and patients with macular hole or macular pucker (control group) during 23-gauge-vitrectomy (n = 17/group). The levels of three pro-inflammatory (IL-1ß, IL-6, IFN-γ) and pleiotropic cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-13) as well as VEGF, VEGF-A, and PGF were measured using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-1ß (p = 0.02) and IFN-γ (p = 0.04), two of the three tested pro-inflammatory cytokines, were elevated in the DR patients, while IL-6 (p = 0.51) level was comparable in both groups. Moreover, in DR samples, a trend towards an IL-13 down-regulation (p = 0.36) was observable. The IL-2 (p = 0.62) and IL-4 (p = 0.78) levels were comparable in both groups. All analyzed angiogenetic factors were up-regulated in DR patients (VEGF: p<0.001; VEGF-A: p = 0.002; PGF: p<0.001). The up-regulation of angiogenetic factors underline their importance in DR development. However, the interaction of the other cytokines showed an interesting pattern. Pro-inflammatory cytokines were also up-regulated, which could be evidence for inflammation processes in the diabetic retina. Furthermore, it seems that a counter response of immunomodulatory cytokines is in an initial process, but not strong enough to regulate the processes. Therefore, to support these anti-inflammatory mechanisms might be additive treatment option in the future.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 29584759 · DOI · PMC5870958
Structural basis for transthyretin amyloid formation in vitreous body of the eye [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of ATTR fibrils in multiple organs.
- Closing excerpt
- By analyzing and matching the interfaces between the amino acids in the ATTR fibril with those in the natively folded TTR, we are able to propose a mechanism for the structural conversion of TTR into a fibrillar form.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (150 words)
Amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of ATTR fibrils in multiple organs. However, the structure of ATTR fibrils from the eye is poorly understood. Here, we used cryo-EM to structurally characterize vitreous body ATTR fibrils. These structures were distinct from previously characterized heart fibrils, even though both have the same mutation and type A pathology. Differences were observed at several structural levels: in both the number and arrangement of protofilaments, and the conformation of the protein fibril in each layer of protofilaments. Thus, our results show that ATTR protein structure and its assembly into protofilaments in the type A fibrils can vary between patients carrying the same mutation. By analyzing and matching the interfaces between the amino acids in the ATTR fibril with those in the natively folded TTR, we are able to propose a mechanism for the structural conversion of TTR into a fibrillar form.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34880242 · DOI · PMC8654999
Hydrogel-Based Vitreous Substitutes [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Hydrogel-based vitreous substitutes have been considered as a potential solution for the treatment of retinal disorders, especially when the natural vitreous body is damaged due to trauma, disease, or surgery.
- Closing excerpt
- Overall, hydrogel-based vitreous substitutes have significant potential to improve surgical outcomes and restore vision for patients with vitreous injury.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (196 words)
Hydrogel-based vitreous substitutes have been considered as a potential solution for the treatment of retinal disorders, especially when the natural vitreous body is damaged due to trauma, disease, or surgery. With their high-water content, biocompatibility, and tunable mechanical properties, these hydrogels offer a promising alternative to traditional vitreous substitutes. This review explores the role of polymers and crosslinkers in the development of hydrogel-based substitutes, focusing on how these components contribute to the structure and function of hydrogels. The choice of natural polymers, such as hyaluronic acid and collagen, or synthetic ones, such as polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol, is crucial to mimic the transparency and flexibility of the vitreous body. Crosslinking methods, including physical, chemical, and enzymatic approaches, help control the gelation process and enhance the mechanical strength of the hydrogel. Furthermore, this review demonstrates how these hydrogels interact with biological tissues, which enhances biocompatibility, cell growth, and tissue repair. This review also discusses the challenges and future directions in improving these hydrogels, particularly in terms of long-term stability, integration with ocular tissues, and appropriate mechanical properties. Overall, hydrogel-based vitreous substitutes have significant potential to improve surgical outcomes and restore vision for patients with vitreous injury.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40943326 · DOI · PMC12428293
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article The International Vitreomacular Traction Study Group classification of vitreomacular adhesion, traction, and macular hole [5]
- Research article Persistent fetal vasculature (PFV): an integrated interpretation of signs and symptoms associated with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV). LIV Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture [6]
- Research article Adult vitreous structure and postnatal changes [7]
- Research article Growth factors in retinal diseases: proliferative vitreoretinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and retinal degeneration [8]
- Research article Vitreous substitutes: a comprehensive review [9]
- Research article Human vitreous in proliferative diabetic retinopathy: Characterization and translational implications [10]
References
- Mu H, Wang Y, Chu Y, Jiang Y, Hua H, Chu L, et al.. Multivesicular liposomes for sustained release of bevacizumab in treating laser-induced choroidal neovascularization. . 2018. PMID 29869520 · DOI · PMC6058521
- Tsai T, Kuehn S, Tsiampalis N, Vu MK, Kakkassery V, Stute G, et al.. Anti-inflammatory cytokine and angiogenic factors levels in vitreous samples of diabetic retinopathy patients. . 2018. PMID 29584759 · DOI · PMC5870958
- Iakovleva I, Hall M, Oelker M, Sandblad L, Anan I, Sauer-Eriksson AE. Structural basis for transthyretin amyloid formation in vitreous body of the eye. . 2021. PMID 34880242 · DOI · PMC8654999
- Sojdeh S, Panjipour A, Bejandi ZB, Salehi M, Yaghmour A, Arabpour Z, et al.. Hydrogel-Based Vitreous Substitutes. . 2025. PMID 40943326 · DOI · PMC12428293
- Duker JS, Kaiser PK, Binder S, de Smet MD, Gaudric A, Reichel E, et al.. The International Vitreomacular Traction Study Group classification of vitreomacular adhesion, traction, and macular hole. Ophthalmology. 2013. PMID 24053995 · DOI
- Goldberg MF. Persistent fetal vasculature (PFV): an integrated interpretation of signs and symptoms associated with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV). LIV Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture. Am J Ophthalmol. 1997. PMID 9372715 · DOI
- Le Goff MM, Bishop PN. Adult vitreous structure and postnatal changes. Eye (Lond). 2008. PMID 18309340 · DOI
- Wiedemann P. Growth factors in retinal diseases: proliferative vitreoretinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and retinal degeneration. Surv Ophthalmol. 1992. PMID 1566240 · DOI
- Kleinberg TT, Tzekov RT, Stein L, Ravi N, Kaushal S. Vitreous substitutes: a comprehensive review. Surv Ophthalmol. 2011. PMID 21601902 · DOI
- Nawaz IM, Rezzola S, Cancarini A, Russo A, Costagliola C, Semeraro F, et al.. Human vitreous in proliferative diabetic retinopathy: Characterization and translational implications. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2019. PMID 30951889 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.